There are four main species of ant: Common Black Ant, Rogers Ant, Pharaoh’s Ant and Ghost Ants. The black ant is an outdoor pest, found nesting in walls and under paving slabs but will invade domestic and commercial premises in search of sugary food. They are capable to causing contamination of foods and work surfaces when foraging for food. In mid-summer and high humidity the queen ants swarm and mate with males in flight. When they return to the ground, the queen will bite off her wings and burrow, laying dormant in the soil over winter, re-emerging in the spring to lay eggs. The colony becomes established over two months and may be active for several years.  

Pharaoh’s Ants are only found indoors and can have up to 200 queens in one colony which will result in a population explosion. Furthermore, this species will invoke tactical survival strategies if it believes the colony is under threat from (usually inexperienced) pest treatments, resulting in the colony separating into sub groups and penetrating deeper into the cavities and structures of buildings. This survival strategy will make the species more resistant to contact with pest treatments and reinfest the area in greater numbers. By comparison, Ghost ants are much smaller (1mm) and prefer sugary sources of food.  

If you are being invaded by ants, talk to one of our experts today about exterminating them.